I got the following questions from a reader of Stretching Scientifically.
> I received your book, Stretching Scientifically, and have been very excitedly
> attempting to develop side and front splits. I’ve recently begun taekwondo,
> but I come from a background of CrossFit, where I’ve been doing deep squats and
> other movements with medium and heavy weights for the past 3 years.
>
> When I try to do a horse-riding stance, either my heels leave the ground or my
> posterior leans back into a squat position. My question is this: Am I just not
> flexible in my lower back, or am I doing something wrong?
> (picture attached)
Answer: Take a look at your photo and at included photos of a deep squat (see below).
Deep back squat
Deep overhead squat
Regardless of what you say, you have not been doing deep squats in many years. Whatever you have been doing for 3 years at CrossFit, it was not deep squats. If you did a deep squat with a weight as light as half your body’s weight, you could get hurt. Follow my advice in First, Fix Faults and then, after fixing your posture, practice deep squats as shown here.
If you see that you can’t make satisfactory progress doing corrective exercises (see links from my post First, Fix Faults), find a specialist to help you (also see links from the post).
> When I try to do a horse-riding stance, either my heels leave the ground […]
> am I doing something wrong?
Answer: It is not your technique. It is a sign of a short soleus, which may be caused by not doing deep squats for many years.
> When the feet are shoulder-width apart, what is the difference between the
> horse-riding stance and a squat?
Answer: None, practically.
Comment: I guess you were not doing your squatting at the San Francisco CrossFit (www.sanfranciscocrossfit.com). I believe that if you did, you would not have the problem you have.
